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WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro



 
 
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  #16  
Old May 5th 17, 06:24 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
John & Jane Doe
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Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

Good Guy wrote in news
Windows XP user or no Windows XP user, the easiest and fastest way to
wipe everything but keeping Windows 10 OS is by wiping everything,
deleting the partitions and reinstalling Windows 10.


I like this idea because who knows what the previous person put on her
desktop.

Since Windows 10 Pro is already there, as is Microsoft Office Professional
2007, they are really the only programs that I wish to keep that are on the
Windows 10 Pro desktop.

It has been stated pretty clearly that I can keep the Windows 10 Pro
because it has been "activated" by someone else (even though I don't know
the login of that person on the Microsoft web site).

But what about the Office 2007 Professional?

Now that I used the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, can I also download the
MS Office 2007 Professional software?
Ads
  #17  
Old May 5th 17, 08:10 AM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
. . .winston[_3_]
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Posts: 335
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

John & Jane Doe wrote:

This is what the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder found for Windows:
https://s9.postimg.org/vn6cj888f/key_windows.jpg

Windows 10 Pro 20-digit product id which says "match to CD Key data".
CD Key: 25-character key
Computer Name & Registered Owner


Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder found the generic Win10 key used for the free
upgrade and stored in the registry on the device *after* the Windows 7
genuine license was verified during the free upgrade process.

i.e. you don't have a Win10 Product key. The same generic key is used on
all machine. You do have a device with a digital license and most likely
can be clean installed with Win10 version 1511(10586 your version), version
1607(14393 later build than yours) media and possibly 1703(build 14393) media.

If you clean install using the generic key it will not activate. You would
subsequently need to provide a valid Win10, Windows 7(OEM or retail) product
key to activate.
- i.e. if you clean install you should choose the 'Skip' product key
option(Do not enter the generic key the 'Keyfinder' found) and let Win10's
clean install setup activate using the digital license stored on the server.

You're fortunate that the original owner didn't activate and link a
Microsoft account to the digital license.
Windows 10/Setttings/Windows Update/Activation
If so, when looking on the Activate screen it would have said "Windows is
activated with a digital license **linked** to you Microsoft account"

Finally, if this machine(unlikely since its 2009 vintage Windows 7 Home
based on your feedback) it does not have a Windows 7 Home product key on
embedded on the bios. If it did and you clean install, Windows 10 Home
would be the default installed o/s.

How did the Windows 7 Home get to Windows 1o Pro ?
Three ways.
- the prior owner upgraded Windows 7 Home to Pro using a Windows 7 Pro key
or
- the prior owner upgraded from Windows 10 Home to Pro using a valid
Windows 10 Pro key
or
- the more likely, the prior owner took advantage of the Windows 7 to
Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer, then used the free Win10 upgrade to upgrade
Win8 Pro to Win10 Pro.

One final note: Since this is originally an OEM machine, it falls under the
rights that allow transfer of the machine and license to another owner
Win10
"a.Software preinstalled on device. If you acquired the software
preinstalled on a device (and also if you upgraded from software
preinstalled on a device), you may transfer the license to use the software
directly to another user, only with the licensed device. The transfer must
include the software and, if provided with the device, an authentic Windows
label including the product key. Before any permitted transfer, the other
party must agree that this agreement applies to the transfer and use of the
software."
i.e. their should be a sticker on the machine that has the Windows 7
Product key.

Fyi...if not already answered, you can change 'her' name by editing the
registry key that contains the registered owner name.

--
...winston
msft mvp windows experience 2007-2016, insider mvp 2016
  #18  
Old May 5th 17, 08:16 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
. . .winston[_3_]
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Posts: 335
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

John & Jane Doe wrote:

Since I'm going to keep the new desktop off the net until I put fresh
software on it, and since the magical jelly bean software pulled the keys
out of the Windows 10 registry, can I now use that link on WinXP to
download the full MS Windows 10 and Office 2007 installers and to burn each one to a DVD?


Windows 10 - Yes
Office 2007 - Maybe
(https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...ownload/office) - you'll need a
valid product key to download 2007. Note: Support for 2007 ends in 2017.


It's confusing when I go here from Windows XP:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10
"You've been routed to this page because the operating system you're
using won't support the Windows 10 media creation tool and we want to make
sure you can download Windows 10."


Accessing that page from XP will only provide the option to download an ISO.
If you access the page from Win7/8/10 you'll be given the option to
download the Media Creation Tool to create media(USB or DVD) for Windows 10.
If you use XP and download the iso, you will need to create Windows media
from the iso(using Windows 10 or other media creation software e.g. Rufus).



--
...winston
msft mvp windows experience 2007-2016, insider mvp 2016
  #19  
Old May 5th 17, 08:33 AM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
. . .winston[_3_]
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Posts: 335
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

John & Jane Doe wrote:
Lucifer Morningstar wrote in
:

Can you use the Windows 7 key?


Do you mean the Windows XP key?


I doubt Lucifer meant the Windows XP key. Hopefully, they will return and
answer.

In the meantime, I suspect, you were being asked if you have the Windows 7
Product key.
- it should be on a sticker on the machine or included with the material
received when the product was transferred to you.

One of the reasons why someone might ask 'if you can use a Windows 7 Product
key' is because Windows 10 can be clean installed and activated, when it has
a prior digital activated license, using the valid Windows 7 Product key for
that device.

Another reason for asking, also possible, is if 'you could use not knowing'
or 'if you knew' that you could use the Windows 7 Product key to activate
Windows 10.


--
...winston
msft mvp windows experience 2007-2016, insider mvp 2016-2017
  #20  
Old May 5th 17, 08:56 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
Lucifer Morningstar
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Posts: 86
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

On Fri, 5 May 2017 05:24:22 -0000 (UTC), John & Jane Doe
wrote:

Good Guy wrote in news
Windows XP user or no Windows XP user, the easiest and fastest way to
wipe everything but keeping Windows 10 OS is by wiping everything,
deleting the partitions and reinstalling Windows 10.


I like this idea because who knows what the previous person put on her
desktop.

Since Windows 10 Pro is already there, as is Microsoft Office Professional
2007, they are really the only programs that I wish to keep that are on the
Windows 10 Pro desktop.

It has been stated pretty clearly that I can keep the Windows 10 Pro
because it has been "activated" by someone else (even though I don't know
the login of that person on the Microsoft web site).

But what about the Office 2007 Professional?

Now that I used the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, can I also download the
MS Office 2007 Professional software?


There are many programs that can be used to clean up an exsiting
instillation of Windows, such as ccleaner, startup control, virus
scanners.
  #21  
Old May 5th 17, 10:55 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
Bill[_40_]
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Posts: 346
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

In message , John & Jane Doe
writes
Since Windows 10 Pro is already there, as is Microsoft Office
Professional 2007, they are really the only programs that I wish to
keep that are on the Windows 10 Pro desktop.

It has been stated pretty clearly that I can keep the Windows 10 Pro
because it has been "activated" by someone else (even though I don't
know the login of that person on the Microsoft web site).

But what about the Office 2007 Professional?

Now that I used the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, can I also download
the MS Office 2007 Professional software?


I'm a little bit dubious about why this machine of unknown history has
W7 Home labels, but a W10 pro version running. Doesn't the free upgrade
of W7 Home usually result in W10 Home?

Rather than Magical Jelly Bean, I normally use Belarc Advisor, which
gives a lot of extra info about the hardware and software as well as
doing some security checks. One example is the detected Internet
Explorer key which will match the key that Windows 7 Home was running
under when it was updated.

In the last couple of days I have rebuilt a Windows XP machine and been
using it. I have to say that it's like a breath of fresh air after W10.
It feels like a proper stable OS rather than a bloated, regularly
changing advertising channel and data gathering set up. I do hope the OP
isn't too disappointed with his "new" machine.

--
Bill
  #22  
Old May 5th 17, 12:50 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
Lucifer Morningstar
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Posts: 86
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

On Fri, 5 May 2017 10:55:11 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , John & Jane Doe
writes
Since Windows 10 Pro is already there, as is Microsoft Office
Professional 2007, they are really the only programs that I wish to
keep that are on the Windows 10 Pro desktop.

It has been stated pretty clearly that I can keep the Windows 10 Pro
because it has been "activated" by someone else (even though I don't
know the login of that person on the Microsoft web site).

But what about the Office 2007 Professional?

Now that I used the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, can I also download
the MS Office 2007 Professional software?


I'm a little bit dubious about why this machine of unknown history has
W7 Home labels, but a W10 pro version running. Doesn't the free upgrade
of W7 Home usually result in W10 Home?

Rather than Magical Jelly Bean, I normally use Belarc Advisor, which
gives a lot of extra info about the hardware and software as well as
doing some security checks. One example is the detected Internet
Explorer key which will match the key that Windows 7 Home was running
under when it was updated.

In the last couple of days I have rebuilt a Windows XP machine and been
using it. I have to say that it's like a breath of fresh air after W10.
It feels like a proper stable OS rather than a bloated, regularly
changing advertising channel and data gathering set up. I do hope the OP
isn't too disappointed with his "new" machine.


Interesting. I put Windows 10 Pro on a desktop which has a 1.6 Ghz
duel core Pentium and 1 GB RAM and I thought it gave new life to
a machine with modest specs.

--
Bill

  #23  
Old May 5th 17, 01:40 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
John & Jane Doe
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Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

.. . .winston wrote in news
Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder found the generic Win10 key used for the free
upgrade and stored in the registry on the device *after* the Windows 7
genuine license was verified during the free upgrade process.


Is this line from Magical Jelly Bean output indicative of "hard media"?
"Installed from Full Packaged Product Media"
https://s9.postimg.org/vn6cj888f/key_windows.jpg

i.e. you don't have a Win10 Product key.


Oh. Interesting. That's not what I had expected.

The same generic key is used on all machine.

I'm confused.

Does that mean that I did not need to redact the 20 and 25 character keys
in the previous screenshot above because everyone has the same keys?

You do have a device with a digital license and most likely
can be clean installed with Win10 version 1511(10586 your version), version
1607(14393 later build than yours) media and possibly 1703(build 14393) media.


This is what is most important! Thanks.

If you clean install using the generic key it will not activate. You would
subsequently need to provide a valid Win10, Windows 7(OEM or retail) product
key to activate.


Oh. That's not what others said so I thank you for pointing out that I
can't use the keys that came out of Magical Jelly Bean output.

- i.e. if you clean install you should choose the 'Skip' product key
option(Do not enter the generic key the 'Keyfinder' found) and let Win10's
clean install setup activate using the digital license stored on the server.


I think I understand, but it's different than what others said so may I
repeat what you said?
1. You said that the keys that Magical Jelly Bean output are just generic.
2. Therefore, they might not work in a clean install (so don't use them).
3. Yet, I do have a "valid" Windows 10 license (an upgrade from Windows 7).
4. So, when clean installing Windows 10 Pro, the server will validate that.

Does it matter which of the following ISO files I choose to create on XP?
https://s14.postimg.org/vegy73d4x/windows_iso.gif (which do you suggest)?

You're fortunate that the original owner didn't activate and link a
Microsoft account to the digital license.
Windows 10/Setttings/Windows Update/Activation
If so, when looking on the Activate screen it would have said "Windows is
activated with a digital license **linked** to you Microsoft account"


Thank you for telling me this as I don't know what to look for and this is
certainly not how Windows XP did things.
https://s7.postimg.org/ggvp86w2j/hp_activation.gif

So I don't even know what a "Microsoft account" is as that is a foreign
concept that she had to have an account (linked or otherwise) with MS.

Finally, if this machine(unlikely since its 2009 vintage Windows 7 Home
based on your feedback) it does not have a Windows 7 Home product key on
embedded on the bios. If it did and you clean install, Windows 10 Home
would be the default installed o/s.


I don't know if I gave you correct information but here is where I got that
information from. Here is the date stamp on the inside of the HP case:
https://s13.postimg.org/50a4owg7r/hp_case_date.gif

Here is the sticker on the outside of the case which says it's for
"Windows 7 Home Prem OA" with a bunch of numbers on it.
https://s15.postimg.org/8k2gatca3/win7_sticker.jpg

Which of those numbers are meaningful to me now?
584xxx-xxx
00196-xxx-xxx-xxx
Product Key MJTXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
X15-53758

How did the Windows 7 Home get to Windows 1o Pro ?
Three ways.
- the prior owner upgraded Windows 7 Home to Pro using a Windows 7 Pro key
or
- the prior owner upgraded from Windows 10 Home to Pro using a valid
Windows 10 Pro key
or
- the more likely, the prior owner took advantage of the Windows 7 to
Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer, then used the free Win10 upgrade to upgrade
Win8 Pro to Win10 Pro.


Thank you very much for that explanation.

One final note: Since this is originally an OEM machine, it falls under the
rights that allow transfer of the machine and license to another owner
Win10
i.e. their should be a sticker on the machine that has the Windows 7
Product key.


I showed that sticker for "Windows 78 Home Prem OA" above.

Fyi...if not already answered, you can change 'her' name by editing the
registry key that contains the registered owner name.


Thank you for explaining that I can change the name that is "registered"
simply by editing the registry using regedit (like I would edit the
registry with Windows XP?) as I don't want the old owner to have any
problems from what I do moving forward.

Here is the currently registered name:
https://s9.postimg.org/vn6cj888f/key_windows.jpg

I was worried that this name was registered on the MS servers, which would
mean that my actions would be associated with hers. I guess not since you
said that it's really only on the machine registry that her name exists.
  #24  
Old May 5th 17, 01:46 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Paul[_32_]
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Posts: 11,873
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

Yeff wrote:
On Fri, 5 May 2017 00:50:14 -0000 (UTC), John & Jane Doe wrote:

The main question right now is how best to proceed to get rid of all the
stuff from the previous owner WITHOUT destroying the Windows 10 license?


If the Win10 OS is a legitimate install it should already be activated
with a digital license linked to the Microsoft account you're using.
That means you can wipe the drive, install a fresh copy of Windows 10,
and it should automatically activate once you verify yourself as a user.
Still, if you want to be safe, use the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder:

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

This will get you both the installed OS product ID as well as the 25
character CD Key. The CD Key is what you really want. You can use the
program to save the information to a text file or print it out. Or
both.

Next you'll want to get the Windows 10 media. Use the Media Creation
Tool to make a bootable DVD or USB flash drive. You can also use the
tool to just download the Win10 .iso and install from the

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Have the new Win10 install wipe everything from the drive before
installation and use the saved CD Key to activate it if you need to.


Are you sure about this ?

There *is* a tool which will recover the qualifying key (the key of
the Windows 7 OS), as well as the bogus generic key a digital entitlement
install does.

If you buy a Win10 key, then magicaljellybean will likely recover
that key for you. I don't doubt that part.

But magicaljellybean, unless they changed it recently. probably
doesn't recover both keys, in the first scenario.

When digital entitlement is used, there shouldn't be any direct
evidence of a Win10 key. The slmgr /dlv command can give some
numeric identifiers, which may help if you're on the phone with
a Microsoft representative, attempting to re-activate after
a motherboard swap. Other than that, I'm not sure the key extraction
method, applied to the current (so-called) key, is of much use to you.
If you see 3V66T for example, and Magicaljellybean also recovers 3V66T,
that tells you the key is not real. 3V66T is the generic Win10 Pro
key, which is not a real key for any purpose. It's decorative.

These are examples of keys that aren't likely
to do you much good. You can test them if you like,
but don't expect slmgr /dlv to indicate you're
activated.

XKY4K-2NRWR-8F6P2-448RF-CRYQH (Windows 8 Professional)
RR3BN-3YY9P-9D7FC-7J4YF-QGJXW (Windows 8 Professional with Media Center)
FB4WR-32NVD-4RW79-XQFWH-CYQG3 (Windows 8 [Home])
XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB (Windows 8.1 Professional)
GBFNG-2X3TC-8R27F-RMKYB-JK7QT (Windows 8.1 Professional with Media Center)
334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT (Windows 8.1 [Home])
VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T (Windows 10 Professional) --- my X79 homebrew
YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7 (Windows 10 Home - multi language) --- my Acer laptop upgrade
BT79Q-G7N6G-PGBYW-4YWX6-6F4BT (Windows 10 Home - single language)

*******

This is the algorithm for pulling an encoded key from the registry.
MagicalJellyBean should be doing this.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/...er-an-upgrade/

But this is only the one level, and on a Digital Entitlement install,
is likely to pull the 3V66T bogus key.

*******

This is the two-level key finder. It can show the
qualifying key, and the current (bogus or otherwise) key.

https://www.tenforums.com/software-a...owkeyplus.html

I got the ref to it, here.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/...dows-10-a.html

These are the results of that software, on
two computers here.

https://s14.postimg.org/c9z59d68x/fu...Win10_keys.gif

I haven't exercised all the functionality of that tool,
but right now, in my two examples, there isn't
too much I "should be writing down". My COA sticker
on the Acer is still readable, so I don't
need ShowKeyPlus for that one.

And the generic keys, are useless. They're about as
valuable, as the generic keys on SLIC activated
Win7 or older computers.

The *original* key is useful, if you needed to generate
a digital entitlement. And people are still reporting
they are able to perform the "free upgrade". You can
enter the Win7 key or Win8.1 key during a free upgrade,
and that is used to generate the Digital Entitlement
record on the MS Server. But on a reinstall, the mainly
bogus nature of what you're going to pull from the
Registry, makes the server-side Digital Entitlement the
most important part. (As it auto-activates on a
clean reinstall, without any keys needed.)

Paul




  #25  
Old May 5th 17, 02:00 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
John & Jane Doe
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Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

.. . .winston wrote in news
Since I'm going to keep the new desktop off the net until I put fresh
software on it, and since the magical jelly bean software pulled the keys
out of the Windows 10 registry, can I now use that link on WinXP to
download the full MS Windows 10 and Office 2007 installers and to burn each one to a DVD?


Windows 10 - Yes
Office 2007 - Maybe
(https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...ownload/office) - you'll need a
valid product key to download 2007. Note: Support for 2007 ends in 2017.


That answer is confusing because originally I only wanted to preserve the
Windows 10 Pro license, which you have assured me will likely be preserved.

Until I ran that Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, I didn't even realize the
desktop came with an existing license for "Microsoft Office Professional
2007", which is the second thing that would be nice to preserve.
https://s18.postimg.org/o8zikixi1/key_msoffice.jpg

When you say I need a "valid product key" to download it from Microsoft, is
that valid product key listed in the photograph above?

It's confusing when I go here from Windows XP:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10
"You've been routed to this page because the operating system you're
using won't support the Windows 10 media creation tool and we want to make
sure you can download Windows 10."


Accessing that page from XP will only provide the option to download an ISO.


I am familiar with the process of downloading an ISO onto Windows XP and
then burning that ISO to a DVD or CD using ImgBurn, so that is the simplest
thing. I don't think I want to learn all about a "media creation tool" when
I'm only going to be doing this once, so, I prefer to keep it simple.

If you access the page from Win7/8/10 you'll be given the option to
download the Media Creation Tool to create media(USB or DVD) for Windows 10.


It would be best if I can just burn a simple ISO file and then I can put
that ISO disc in a safe place to use in the future if necessary to do a
clean re-install of Windows 10 Pro.

If you use XP and download the iso, you will need to create Windows media
from the iso(using Windows 10 or other media creation software e.g. Rufus).


Oh. That's bad news. I think. Why do they make things so un-obvious.

I'm used to XP media which is just a disc that you can install the software
off of and that software will work if you have an XP key.

This "media creation tool" is confusing, so may I ask clarifying questions?

1. I have an XP machine on the Internet.
2. I have this Windows 10 Pro machine that 'can' be put on the Internet.
3. What do you suggest if what I want is the *simplest* form of DVD media?

Do you recommend I download the Windows 10 Pro ISO onto WinXP and then
create whatever that "media creation" is using "Rufus"?

Or do you recommend I give up on doing anything from Windows XP and just do
it all from the new Windows 10 Pro machine?
  #26  
Old May 5th 17, 02:08 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
John & Jane Doe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

.. . .winston wrote in news
In the meantime, I suspect, you were being asked if you have the Windows 7
Product key.
- it should be on a sticker on the machine or included with the material
received when the product was transferred to you.


Thank you for asking clarifying questions because when I bought this
desktop, I was just told it worked, and when it booted up before I bought
it, the only thing I knew to ask was what the password was of the user (she
gave it to me, and I bought it as soon as I was able to log in).

Here is the sticker on the outside of the case which says it's for
"Windows 7 Home Prem OA" with a bunch of numbers on it.
https://s15.postimg.org/8k2gatca3/win7_sticker.jpg

Are any of those numbers supposed to be meaningful to me at this point?
  #27  
Old May 5th 17, 02:25 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
John & Jane Doe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

Lucifer Morningstar wrote in
:


Do you mean the Windows XP key?

I was wondering if you could use the original Windows 7 key.


When I ran the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, it didn't report anything
about Windows 7. It only reported the Windows 10 Pro keys it found.

On Windows XP, the only two things I need are my directories:
C:\my_progs
C:\my_files


You will also want
C:\documents and settings
C:\windows


My rule is to never put anything into either of those two folders!
C:\Documents and Settings
C:\Windows

I have used Windows XP for many years where I have many times had to do a
clean install where all I need ever are the two directories where I put
things which are the downloaded installers (uninstalled) and my data.

I learned many years ago to never put anything in the "Documents and
Settings" folders or the "WINDOWS" folder, because they get so filled up
with junk from the operating system and other programs that they both are
just a big waste bin of sorts.

It's like the difference between the "adult bathroom" in the house and the
"kids bathroom" in the house.

The kids bathroom is a mess. Nothing is where it belongs. Toys are
scattered about that don't even belong there. Clothes are all over. Toilet
paper rolls are on the floor. Soap is sitting in the middle of the bathtub.
Shampoo is leaking down the side. The toothpaste never has a cap and it's
squirting out onto the sink, which itself is clogged from toothpaste and
hair and toys.

That's what "Documents and Settings" is like.
All the programs & the operating system make an undisciplined mess of it.

On the other hand, the adult bathroom in the house is exactly as you'd
expect to be. A place for everything, and everything in its place.

That's what my C:\my_files hierarchy is like.
None of the programs or operating system makes a mess of it.


I have learned over the years after many Windows crashes to never put any
files that I care about in any other spot than those two locations.

So all the files I care about are in C:\my_files where any file in any
other location of the computer is not a file I will ever care about.


Unless you want XP to run.


All I can tell you is that I have had XP for years, which you know means I
have had to do clean installs multiple times and all I ever need are my
data files and my downloaded installers (and any software that came on hard
media).

We could argue philosophy, where I wish the kids would maintain their
bathroom but kids will never do that so their bathroom isn't even worth
using.

It's the same with any folder that software "knows" about since any folder
that Microsoft provides is so filled up with garbage (just like the kid's
bathroom) that it isn't worth dealing with.

I just create my own folders that neither the operating system nor the
programs make a mess of and everything is fine.

Of course, I ensure that every data file that I care about is saved into
the proper location in C:\my_files\ so I know that I have never
purposefully put any files in C:\Documents and Settings\ and certainly I
don't put anything in C:\WINDOWS.

Every well written program will let you change the default location of its
file storage to C:\my_files\where you want your files to be.

I do understand that most people put things into C:\Documents and Settings\
but I don't know how they find anything in that garbage pile.

The solution I learned long ago was simply to put things in a place that
the programs don't automatically know about.

It's like not letting the kids use the adult bathroom.
Keeping them out is all it takes to keep it organized and clean.
  #28  
Old May 5th 17, 02:35 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
John & Jane Doe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

Lucifer Morningstar wrote in
:

There are many programs that can be used to clean up an exsiting
instillation of Windows, such as ccleaner, startup control, virus
scanners.


The problem of course is that this will never be as good as a clean
install.

For example, I noticed that the previous owner seems to have a million
popups that are running in the background.

Who can keep track of all that, when I would turn off EVERYTHING that
phones home.

There will never (almost never) be anything that I will set to phone home.

As just one example, a web browser has a half dozen settings or more
settings for phoning home where I turn all of them off. I noticed that
there are a huge number of blue "sliders" in Microsoft Windows 10 Pro that
I already had to turn off.

But there are so (so) many that I am positive that I will need to do a
clean install, just so that I can say no to every single prompt that even
suggests that it can phone home to anywhere.

I will *never* want or need a program to check a server for anything.

Note that I maintain my own manual calendar and I can check my email when I
want to check my email, and I can't imagine why I'd want ANY program to
connect to the Internet when I'm not looking.

I'm sure they all try (which is why when I install programs I disconnect
the Internet temporarily), and I'm sure some get away with it behind my
back, but if there is a choice, I will tell every program to not phone home
under any circumstance.

The NSA vacuums all that stuff up too, so why give them more than they
already have, for absolutely no possible gain to me?

Oooops. I just realized I went on a rant!
/RANT

I don't think a "cleanup" program can really clean up the hundreds of
settings that I do differently than other people. My default will be for
nothing to run that spies on me. Nothing to run that phones home. Nothing
to run that reminds me of anything. Nothing to run that requires a login
(except email and banking).

So since my defaults are almost certainly different than the average
person, I don't think any cleanup program will do the job I need.

Only a clean install will work for me I think.
  #29  
Old May 5th 17, 02:48 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
John & Jane Doe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 109
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

Paul wrote in news
There *is* a tool which will recover the qualifying key (the key of
the Windows 7 OS), as well as the bogus generic key a digital entitlement
install does.


The only "Windows 7 Home Prem OA" key I know about is on this sticker:
https://s15.postimg.org/8k2gatca3/win7_sticker.jp

If you see 3V66T for example, and Magicaljellybean also recovers 3V66T,
that tells you the key is not real. 3V66T is the generic Win10 Pro
key, which is not a real key for any purpose. It's decorative.


Oh oh. MJB Keyfinder *did* report a 3V66T Windows 10 Pro key!
https://s9.postimg.org/vn6cj888f/key_windows.jpg


VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T (Windows 10 Professional) --- my X79 homebrew


I noticed you listed the entire key but I was afraid to in my photographs.
How do I know what parts of the key I should redact when posting?






(I will run the ShowKeyPlus separately & report back what it finds.)
  #30  
Old May 5th 17, 03:27 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Paul[_32_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,873
Default WinXP user bought first desktop Win7 - Win10 Pro

John & Jane Doe wrote:
Paul wrote in news
There *is* a tool which will recover the qualifying key (the key of
the Windows 7 OS), as well as the bogus generic key a digital entitlement
install does.


The only "Windows 7 Home Prem OA" key I know about is on this sticker:
https://s15.postimg.org/8k2gatca3/win7_sticker.jp

If you see 3V66T for example, and Magicaljellybean also recovers 3V66T,
that tells you the key is not real. 3V66T is the generic Win10 Pro
key, which is not a real key for any purpose. It's decorative.


Oh oh. MJB Keyfinder *did* report a 3V66T Windows 10 Pro key!
https://s9.postimg.org/vn6cj888f/key_windows.jpg


VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T (Windows 10 Professional) --- my X79 homebrew


I noticed you listed the entire key but I was afraid to in my photographs.
How do I know what parts of the key I should redact when posting?

(I will run the ShowKeyPlus separately & report back what it finds.)


I only post full keys, on the keys I *know* are bogus
and unusable for any purpose.

3V66T has been around for several years, even in the early
Preview days.

These are ones I don't mind posting. There are a hundred million
computers using these two. Generic placeholder keys.

VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T (Windows 10 Professional) --- my X79 homebrew
YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7 (Windows 10 Home - multi language) --- my Acer laptop upgrade

Whereas the actual Win7 COA key on the sticker, I won't
be showing you that.

The "8HVX7" one is generic, and appears after a person
does the free upgrade to Win10 Home, from a qualifying OS.
Those keys are backed up with the Digital Entitlement
on the server, which is the "real" and unique identifier.

*******

I used enhanced techniques when running ShowKeyPlus,
so the software was not allowed to have a free-for-all.
The OS was backed up, the tool run, a picture taken.
The network cable was disconnected. The OS was
restored from backup.

That's not a "high security" setting at all, as the
firmware stored on the computer could still be damaged
by running untrusted software. While I did subject the
software to a virustotal.com scan, that doesn't guarantee
a damn thing.

So I did take a chance when running that stuff. As the
firmware on my hard drive, the BIOS flash chip, a few
other config ROMs, could be overwritten by malicious
software. Even using a VM to test is taking a chance,
because VMs are easy to punch through.

The only way I'd trust that software, is if I had source.

To reverse engineer it, you can use Process Monitor and
see which two registry keys it is reading. However, if
you do watch the software, you will be disappointed
with the "torrent of operations that make no sense".
I'm always shocked at the random stuff the OS starts
doing, when I'm running stuff. There is a tremendous
amount of noise in the trace collected.

Paul

 




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